If you think your business is immune to the dangers of cybersecurity attacks, think again. Cybercriminals don’t discriminate, and they’ll attack you just as readily as a larger enterprise simply due to your weaker network security. If you want to keep your business from suffering a cybersecurity attack needlessly, we’ve got just the thing for you.
Most stories you consume will follow the format of introduction, rising action, conflict, falling action, and resolution. The tense parts of the story, the rising action and conflict, are what drive it forward, and they’re also what make things interesting along the way. That said, you can’t run your business like a story, and you can’t run your IT in this way either.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that IT is more of a cost than a savings mechanism. But in reality, IT is a powerful tool that can help your business eliminate unnecessary expenses, improve operations, and stop problems in their tracks before they even exist. This approach, proactive IT, has many benefits, all of which save you money.
This time of year is rife with traditions, from the foods we eat to the rituals we follow… even the songs we sing. We wanted to share a little reworking of a classic carol that exemplifies our commitment to the businesses we work with in the spirit of the season.
You’ve locked down your network with cybersecurity—but what about the risks right outside your door? Physical security breaches are a serious threat to your employees, data, and critical equipment. For any small business owner, addressing this issue isn’t just good practice—it’s a necessity for true peace of mind.
Let’s imagine that your business has a hidden back door—one that your building manager doesn’t even know exists—and that door leads straight into the heart of your office. By the time someone finds out that door exists, someone could have snuck in to wreak all kinds of havoc, unbeknownst to you. This is what is known as a zero-day threat; it’s a security vulnerability that is being actively exploited in the wild, one that was previously unknown to the vendor and unpatched against, and it’s a serious problem for any SMB.
Imagine that your screen flashes a devastating message: your critical data is encrypted, and you face a massive ransom demand. Your operation grinds to a halt. This isn’t just an enterprise problem; it’s the harsh reality for businesses of all sizes. Cyber threats don’t discriminate. Your small or mid-sized business is a prime target.
Open your Profit & Loss statement. I’m willing to bet that the IT line is sitting squarely in the expense column, right next to rent, electricity, and paper towels. For many business owners, IT is seen as a necessary evil; a cost center, a black hole they just have to throw money into. When you see a technology bill, you get that double-take and cringe. Your primary goal is to minimize this cost; often to the point of avoidance.
You might have IT staff in the office, but that doesn’t mean that all of your problems are handled with the time, speed, and attention they deserve. Your people might be overworked and overwhelmed by the amount of work demanded of them, and having coverage at all times comes at a cost—a cost that your technicians (and your business) aren’t willing to pay. Outsourcing helps you make up for this deficit in a way that’s both kind to your team and helpful for your budget.
If your business’ technology seems to be a-okay, the thought of updating it may seem unnecessary. This is decidedly not the case. Updates are what keep your business functioning (and therefore, profitable), while every skipped update opens you up to vulnerabilities, bugs, and much more severe consequences when you experience a true threat.